Ballina woman Julie Lee awarded OAM for work to combat domestic violence and child abuse

A Ballina woman has been awarded an OAM for her dedicated work preventing child abuse and domestic violence, and helping victims. This is her story.

A Ballina woman has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her dedicated work helping community members and preventing child abuse and domestic violence.

Julie Lee, 71, has been recognised for service to the community and has been “giving back” to Ballina since the 1980s.

She has fundraised for victims of child abuse in Wollongbar and helped run anti-domestic violence program Love Bites in Ballina’s high schools.

Ms Lee grew up in Kyogle and said being raised in the town fostered a “great sense of community spirit” before she moved to Ballina and put her hand up to help.

“I’ve always had a sense of wanting to give back,” she said.

Julie Lee and her husband Colin are both pivotal in Northern Rivers communities’ volunteering. Picture: Facebook

“I come from a nursing background and have a caring nature.”

“Love Bites is an important program that goes into high schools to teach children about respectful relationships.

“We want to make them aware that domestic violence is not the norm and they can choose another way in life.”

Domestic violence is a particularly relevant topic in Ballina right now after alleged incidents in the community.

Ballina Mayor Sharon Cadwallader recently said teaching children about healthy relationships during schooling was crucial to break the cycles of domestic and family violence.

She spoke highly of the Love Bites program.

“Domestic violence is a scourge, and that’s why right now Ballina and Richmond Rotary Club is rolling out the Love Bites program in schools” she said.

“It relies on volunteers largely to go into the school system and educate our students about respectful relationships.

“How to recognise relationships that aren’t respectable, and how to how to stop it before it really starts. Because we know if you tolerate the behaviour it just gets worse and worse.”

Ms Lee has also been working on the NSW flood recovery through Richmond Rotary Club.

“When floods started last year we started with cleaning up houses and supplying food and doing whatever we could and just generally keeping in touch with people and supporting them,” she said.

Ms Lee’s husband Colin Lee was also awarded with the OAM in 2014 for his work for community organisations in Ballina.

“My husband Colin is a bit of a driving force and pulls me into the vortex,” Ms Lee said.

“I’m glad to have had that partnership over the years.”